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Step Challenge Rules and Information

Thank you for your interest in the Idaho STEP Challenge. We are excited you have decided to participate in this program, and look forward to hearing about your success. Listed below are the contest guidelines and a few helpful tips.

Contest Guidelines

1. The Idaho STEP Challenge is a non-partisan, non-political interactive event aimed at motivating constituents in Idaho’s second Congressional District to stay fit and healthy.

2. The challenge is not a competition or race. The only objective is to help improve your overall fitness level by walking 2,963 miles (equal to a trip from Washington D.C. to Boise, Idaho) over the next 14 months. The challenge begins on June 1, 2016, but participants can join at any point by recording their weekly miles as they advance toward the 2,963 mile goal.

3. The Idaho STEP Challenge relies on steps and miles recorded using an activity tracker or pedometer. Any brand of activity tracker or model can be used for this challenge (i.e., FitBit, Garmin, Jawbone, etc.). Participants can enter their TOTAL miles as often as they like at this link. The leaderboard will be updated weekly so be sure to update your progress. For the purpose of the Idaho Step Challenge, participants can enter the total number of miles walked as tracked by their step tracking device or take their total steps walked and divide by 2,000. (2,000 steps is roughly equivalent to 1 mile). IMPORTANT: The miles you enter are your TOTAL number of miles walked since June 1st. (Example: Mike walked 50 miles from June 1 through June 7 so he entered 50 miles. Mike walked 52 miles from June 8 through June 14 so he entered 102 miles.)

4. You can also join as a team. Walking with a friend can be a great way to encourage each other to get more steps. Teams will be allowed 2 or 3 people. If you would like to participate as a team use this link to enter miles.

5. Participants are encouraged to submit their weekly miles to this link every week so your progress can be tracked, but you can update your miles as often as you like. Reminder emails will be sent out via the Idaho Step Challenge Newsletter. Participant miles will be recorded in a spreadsheet, and periodic updates will be posted on a leaderboard on the Congressman's webpage.

6. It is okay to finish the challenge before the 14 month deadline. This timeline was chosen based on Congressman Simpson’s average daily steps and the amount of time that is anticipated for an average individual to walk across the United States.